Hush Little Baby♫

I've learned the hard way that no matter how many books/articles/studies you read, your baby will call the shots - ALWAYS.  This has been the most prevalent when it comes to TJ's sleep habits.  The one thing every book/article/study has agreed on is that a bedtime routine is essential.

I started a bedtime routine with TJ that he seems to enjoy. Around 8:30/9 pm I give him a bath or soak. We are trying to do this nightly because the warm water really soothes him, but I don't use soap every night because I don't want to dry his skin out. Then we get out, dry off and after a diaper he gets a lotion "massage." After getting some cozy pajamas on, I give him a nice warm bottle while I rock him and (attempt to) sing as we snuggle. I try to shut off all distractions at this point. No TV. No phone - just spend some quality time together.

1) Puj Tub - This bath tub is made of a lightweight foam that folds up to cradle the baby.  Best of all - it fits in a sink!  When you're done, it unfolds and can be hung flat to dry.

2) Baby Magic Wash/Lotion - I LOVE the smell of Baby Magic - it smells like pure baby bliss.  I think my family has been addicted to using baby magic for as long as I can remember.  Not only does it smell great, but the lotion is extremely moisturizing and leaves TJ's skin super soft.

3) California Baby Eczema Cream - I stumbled across this brand and have become hooked.  They offer natural and organic baby alternatives to products that are sometimes loaded with chemicals. TJ has a little dry skin on his face, so I use literally just a dab of this cream for his entire face every morning and night and it keeps his skin from getting irritated.  Not going to lie, this cream is a little expensive, but a little goes really far.

4) Carters Sleep & Plays - TJ lives in these.  The cotton ones are super soft and I just picked up a few fleece ones for when the colder weather hits us here in about three more months.  Night time diaper changes are a breeze with these because instead of having to take off their pants and try to put them back on while you're half asleep, you can just unsnap the bottom half and change baby!  We prefer the ones that snap as opposed to the ones that zip because the zipper seems to bunch up and cause a bulge that covers TJ's face.

5) Goodnight Moon by: Margaret Wise Brown - I try to read to TJ as much as possible and this book is a cute little story.  We received this book in a care package when TJ was is in intensive care.  It's one of the few books we have, but I hope to pick him up some more great books soon.